


Old Hearth New Flame

by Beauty_Before_Chaos



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon)
Genre: Alucard died in the final battle in this version, F/M, Main Character breaks a vase, Multi, Slow Burn, along with Trevor and Sypha, its for plot i swear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25910752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beauty_Before_Chaos/pseuds/Beauty_Before_Chaos
Summary: [Lightly Inspired By OHHC and BatB]After accidentally damaging a pricless relic in a supposedly abandoned castle in Greater England, Blake Warren must bend over backwards to pay her dues to the owner of the ancient building if she hopes to keep a clean slate. She will unravel many secrets the old man keeps and by the end of the journey she and her two best friends have been on the adventure of a lifetime. Many dangers ensue as a reknowned vampire general makes her move to cross the King of the Night, and he is forced to make many difficult decisions before ultimetley facing one hard truth.His flame had been reignighted.
Relationships: Dracula/Original Female Character, Dracula/Reader, castlevania dracula/reader
Kudos: 8





	1. The Trip

Squinting her eyes in annoyance as they approached the building, Blake sneered quietly to herself, kicking the dirt beneath her new converse. They were supposed to be here hours ago but traffic held them up, and now they would be given a little more than an hour to tour the large castle. It was rumored to belong to an old king but the truth was, no one actually knew where it came from, or who owned it; All of that information had been lost to time, and now it was just a void of secrets waiting to be disturbed.

A soft laugh silenced her thoughts as she felt an arm wrap around her own, causing her to blink once before turning. Dio grinned towards her as he laughed, his own emerald tinted eyes shone to be full of excitment and eagerness. She would never understand why he was to determined to take these expeditions, but it was common knowledge he had wanted to learn everything he could before dying. Blake didn't know why, nor did she see the point.

"Come on, aren't you even a little excited?" Dio furrowed his brows with a slanted frown crossing his face before Blake groaned and turned back to the castle, examining the outter walls. It was brilliantly taken care of, was the first thing she had noted, and secondly, it looked like it had been untouched for years. Not a spot of graffitti, no broken windows, no broken bricks-... or whatever the stupid thing was made from.

Noting the windows again, Blake gritted her teeth as she could've sworn she saw a shadow pass by a window on the upper levels, and the curtain swaying slightly. She could only assume that some of her history class was already inside, and was screwing around upstairs. Shrugging her shoulders softly Blake sighed and nodded her head before finally speaking, her american accent ringing out. "I guess it's alright. We won't be here long though so don't get comfy."

Dio only rolled his eyes in response as their section entered the building, the giant door creaking as they passed through it, making Blake flinch with a sharp intake of breath. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the gorgeous paintings inside, mainly of a lovely blonde haired woman with bubbly sapphire blue eyes. Many of these paintings adorned the castles walls, perhaps the previous owner, either way Blake seemed not to pay them any mind as they entered the great entrnace hall.

She had never felt so small, staring up at the crossbeams with wide eyes and an uncomfortable wince, dwarfed by the ancient architecture. The stone, or whatever this castle was made of, was clearly old, but didn't show any signs of wear the most castles you'd see in England. It was like this castle was frozen in time, stuck in a single moment a thousand years ago. The tour guide continued with her spiel.

"There isn't any specific evidence to give us a clue as to who owned and lived in this castle. There aren't any books, records, or carvings to give us any hints to work from. And we don't even know the exact year it was built in, because while the architecture is ancient, there are lamps and other commodities that weren't developed until the 17th century. There is a possibility that these were added later, but-" Blake interuppted her.

"Wait wait," Blake mused quietly before gesturing with her hand and continuing. "You're telling me this thing has been here over one hundred years, and you stiffs still haven't figured out any useful information on it?"

The tour guide was unfazed. "This isn't actually uncommon. Lots of England's castles were either abandoned by royal families because they couldn't afford the upkeep, or emptied of owners by the Black Plague." She turned back away from Blake, focusing instead on speculation about the woman in the painting.

Blake opened her mouth to speak before the words died in her throat, noticing a certain blonde creeping down the hallway. Her lips curled upwards into a smirk before she narrowed her eyes and paced after him, the sound of her feet gently taping against the floor. Dio gestured for her to pause before he glanced back at her, offering a sheepish grin before he jiggled the doorknob infront of him, opening it quickly and stepping inside. He waved her after him.

Blake glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and hurried after him. The room they stepped into was dark, and smelled musty.

"Hey, the tour guide said they had lamps and shit, right? Let's see if we can find a lightswitch." Blake heard a thump as Dio ran into a wall, and shuffles as he pawed along it, searching for a way to turn the lights on.

Suddenly, the room was flooded with a warm, muted light. "And what do you two think you're doing?" Blake whipped around, her eyes landing on red hair and a pair of green eyes, gilded by a stern glare. She groaned.

"What do you want, Veda?" Blake spat, her already sour mood practically molding.

"What do you think you're doing in here?" Dio jabbed, smirking. Bothering Veda was one of his favorite pastimes, especially when she was so easy to agitate. "Did miss goody two shoes get tired of kissing the tour guide's ass?" Veda flushed.

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" She stammered, her nose scrunching up prudishly. Her voice always cracked when she was angry like this, and it never ceased to amuse him. 

Dio laughed and walked past Veda towards the door. "Don't get your panties in a wad, we're leaving anyways. This room is boring." Veda looked at him indignantly, her chest swelling.

"Do you think you can just get away with leaving the group? I'm going to tell the professor!" Veda strode after him. Blake didn't want to be left alone in this stagnant old room, so she followed.

"Oh is that so? Were your grades not getting you enough brownie points?" Veda's face reddened. "Besides, how can you tattle on us? You left, too." Dio was reveling in her frustration.

"I was only leaving to catch you lot! Surely I won't be penalized for that."

"Oh, no, you're going to get in trouble for leaving, Blake and I left to get you." Veda didn't understand what Dio was saying until he and Blake had sprinted to the other end of the hallway, rushing to get to the professor before her. She gave chase.

Paintings and doorways streaked past Blake as she ran. She let out a laugh, thrilled with how this day was turning out. She looked into rooms as she passed them, catching glimpses of furniture, shelves, a face-

Wait. A face? She skidded to a stop. "Dio, come here!" She shouted, and slowly approched the room she had seen the man in, her brows furrowing curiously. Dio panted slightly and jogged towards her as she entered the room, tilting her head to the side.

Without another word she seemed to vanish into the unlit room, her frame disappearing from sight as Veda ran into Dio. The two sneered at one another before turning to look at Blake as she stood inside the room, and several moments of silence passed. Dio was about to ask what was going on before Blake answered the question on her own. 

"I-... I think I saw someone in here."

"So?" Veda quipped. "It was probably a tour guide. They're all over the place, you know."

"No, it wasn't a tour guide." Blake's voice was thin and she quinted her eyes into the darkness, reaching a unsteady hand forwards. She half expected to come in contact with someone, something, btu the thought alone startled her.

"How do you know?" Dio asked. His eyebrows were knit together as he gently gripped her shoulder, leaning in until his breath hit the back of her neck, making her shiver.

"Well... he was tall. Like, seven feet tall." Blake looked around the room, scouring the corners for some sign of a man thought there were none.

"Maybe it was a really tall tour guide?" Dio offered.

"No, he was... He had pointed ears. And- and fangs." Blake looked towards Dio, her eyes wide. He gave her a concerned look. Maybe she had just imagined it, maybe it was all in her head.

"Okay, no way. I'm calling crap now. You guys are just pranking me. You're not getting out of your punishment that easy!" Veta huffed. Neverthelass, she glanced around.

"We aren't pranking you, Blake saw some-"

There was a loud clang behind one of the walls causing an abrupt silence. Without hesitation, all three sprinted out of the room, bumping into one another. Blake's hip knocked a vase to the floor, the sound of shattering porcelain following them out the door.

"Shit!" Blake kept running, until they all stopped at the end of a hallway. Blake clenched her jaw quickly before looking up at Dio with a distraught expression. She was bent over and clutching her knees, out of breath as she felt a pang of guilt in her chest.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Dio asked, cocking his head.

Blake panted, then gulped. "We just broke a priceless artifact."


	2. The Vase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake and her friends search for the perfect replacement for the vase, unaware they are being followed.

"Okay, look, it was an accident." Dio said comfortingly, rubbing Blake's shoulders as she sipped a large cup of coffee at one of the lobby tables. It had been hours since she had shattered the stupid vase, and she was guilt-ridden for being responsible for the loss of such an ancient thing. Veda also felt bad and as a result, refrained from bringing up the event to their professor, sitting next to them.

Blake was counting the money in her bag before Veda tapped a twenty pound note she had set on the table, and Blake took it gratefully. Nodding, Blake slipping it into her bag. Veda tilted her head to the side before she opened her mouth to speak out. "What even are you going to do?"

"I'm going to replace the vase." Blake said begrudgingly, sighing as she slipped her bag back over her shoulder, standing to her feet. Her hair was a mess from running earlier, and she had a bruise on her hip from bumping the pedestal. Her hands were adorned with the cuts she got from picking up the glass. 

Even though she was a stubborn little shit, she tried to be genuine. She didn't mean any harm, really. It was just learned behavior from her family, and perhaps a lack of proper parenting. Dio sighed and mentioned he saw a store a few blocks away from their hotel, and that he would chip in about five dollars.

"I'm going with you so, you know, you don't break anything else." Quipped Veda as she stood, stretching and groaning. She was silent as she approached the door and glanced out the dirty glass, pressing her cool hand against her warm cheek. 

Her head swirled with thoughts of how she could right the wrong, unaware of the man sitting in the back of the room, long black hair draped down to his shoulders. Dio rose and, deciding that his essay could wait, quickly followed the two women out of the lobby. They paced down the streets and let out a sigh, excited for yet another adventure.

After about three hours of searching, Blake was convinced she had found the perfect vase. She beamed with nervous excitment as they approached the castle again. The vase had a pretty gold trim with shiny spots of turquoise and emerald inlaid within the white porcelien. There were a swarm of colorful butterflies painted on its surface, and it had two curved handles extending like wings fron the sides.

"I still think you should've gotten the one with the wolf on it." Veda said as they passed the gate a few meters from the door, paying the fee.

"Of course you do, you have no taste." Dio jabbed, smirking. Veda scowled at him.

Dio had half a mind to run again, but it wasn't like there was any reason to. They were here on peaceful terms, now. And if he was being honest, it felt different, being in the ancient castle without supervision. They walked down the corridor quietly for several moments before they were back at the room it all occured at, yesterday's events flashing clear in Blake's mind as she swallowed hard. Dio grabbed the doorknob.

"Uh.. This wasn't locked yesterday, was it?" Dio asked confusedly. The two women shared a look between one another before shaking their heads. Veda stepped forward and jiggled the handle gently.

"Maybe the groundskeeper locked it? I mean, you did break a priceless artifact yesterday." Veda said, turning to Blake. Dio shot her a glare as Blake deflated.

Veda offered Blake an apologetic shrug before she tensed, her breath catching in her throat. She yanked Blake against her as she stared into the shadows, her heart pounding. After a few moments, she let Blake go. 

"What was that all about?" Blake asked, her eyes wide.

"I-... I thought I saw someone behind you." Veda grumbled. She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, making Blake laugh.

"First Blake and now you, what is it, Ghost Week? Maybe this castle is haunted!" Dio wiggled his fingers at Veda, making ghostly wails. She huffed, turning away from him with her nose high in the air.

"Come on, Dio, give her a break," Blake said, laughing. "I think we're all a little tired."

"Alright, ghosts and phantoms aside, we should leave this vase here," Dio offered, gesturing to the area in front of the door.

"It wasn't a ghost! It's like Blake said, I'm just tired." Veda shot indignantly, while Blake set the vase down, a timid smile making it's way across her face. If she had a tail it would be wagging with some sort of idiotic pride.

"Come on guys, lets get back to the hotel." Blake started back down the hallway with Veda beside her. Dio ran up behind them, draping his arms over their shoulders.

As they made their way out of the castle, a very large man exited the room they were in front of. He tilted his head to the side as he gazed at the vase. He noted how cheap the vase was, the gold paint flecking off when he scracthed it. 

He had one thousand vases with more sentimentality to him, and this one was particularly tacky. It was an eyesore, and while he admired the generosity and sense of responsibility, he couldn't quite find it within himself to appreciate it. With one swift movment, he scooped up the ugly thing.

Back in the hotel lobby, Dio laughed softly as they watched Veda try Blake's coffee, cringing at how much sugar was in it. Blake was always one for the sweeter tasting things, and had never to considered that perhaps there was such thing as too sweet. Veda stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes as she got up to make herself an acceptable drink. They talked for hours after the vase incident and they slowly grew to not hate one another. There was still tension between them, but there were less jabs all around.

Clicking her key card against the door softly, Veda and Blake entered their room, Dio in tow. They had been kicked out of the lobby by one of the professors, reminding them all of curfew. They opted to continue their conversation in the girls' room. The first thing Veda did was flop back onto her bed and wrap herself in the covers and the sheets, Dio plopping down next to her. She glared at him. Blake made her way towards the kitchen area, setting her bag on a chair. She froze in shock as her eyes landed on the the vase they'd taken to the castle.

"Did you guys, uh... grab the vase?"


	3. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake returns the vase to the castle and takes a fall down the stairs, no thanks to Dracula himself.

They wasn't enough time to return the vase before the trip was over. Blake had assured the others she would take the thing back herself, the castle only being about an hour away from her house. The journey would be a chore, but she was sure she could handle it. 

Meanwhile she would sit in the apartment she and Dio shared, eating instant noodles and watching television while Dio sang in the shower. He was just loud enough for Blake to hear, and he also wasn't a very talented singer. Dio had many skills, like baking and writing, but singing was not one of them. "Don't use up all the hot water for your concert, Dio! I still need a shower later!" Their hot water heater was agonizingly slow at its job.

"I'm just saying you could always join me!" Dio teased from behind the door as the sounds of water slowed, and she could almost sense his wink. Her face flushed red and she groaned in annoyance, stirring the noodles in her bowl before slurping at the juice. Her back ached from the ride on the bus, and sitting back on the small blue sofa did little reduce her pain.

She ate in silence for several moments before standing and placing her empty bowl in the sink, rinsing it. Whistling softly, Dio exited the bathroom wrapped in a towel. He blinked and watched her put on her shoes before looking to the vase by the door.

"Taking it back already?" Dio asked curiously as Blake slipped her jacket on. She as she pat her pockets, then looking around. She spotted her wallet next to her keys on the counter. She grabbed them and scooped up the vase before turning and pointing at her roommate. 

"Don't break anything while I'm gone. I'll be back around seven," Blake said. Dio scoffed.

"Excuse me, but which of us has a track record of breaking things?"

"Not fair! It was your fault, too!" She said, defensively. Dio was laughing as she said it.

"Seriosuly though, can you get some more noodles on your way back?" Dio asked, handing her a ten-pound note. Blake cocked her head and turned towards the cabinet, realizing she had eaten the last pack.

"Fine. I'll be back." Blake scrunched her nose at him before stepping out of their apartment. The walk down the stairs to her car was all but a blur and soon she was twenty minutes away from the apartment. The setting sun cast an orange hue on everything in sight.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a breath and adjusted the radio. When she opened them again, she was at the brilliant castle. She approached the door, pushing it open. It was dark and quiet inside, not the usual lofty silence. This was more unnerving.

She hesitantly let her hands trace the wall's curviture as she walked through the endless hallways, humming softly. Blake wondered when it was built, who had lived here in the past, and just how big it really was. She had a feeling no one would ever answer her questions. 

Approaching the pedestal, she glaced over to the door, surprised to see that it was cracked open. Pushing the door further open, she stepped into the room slowly. Surprisingly, the room no longer contained the same musty odor from before, and seemed significantly cleaner.

Curious, Blake crossed the room sat upon the soft bed, running her fingers over the fabric slowly as she clutched the vase against her body. The felt like silk or cashmere, slippery under her grasp. She stalled for another few moments before standing to her feet and approaching the desk, placing the vase down gently.

Her mind was still trying to understand how it could've possibly ended up back in her apartment, but no answer made sense. With a shudder, Blake slowly inched out of the room, closing the door behind her only to hear a soft click. Jiggling the knob softly, she blinked and her eyes widdened with confusion, shaking it a bit more. The door was now locked.

Her brow furrowed, she pushed her hands into her pockets and began walking back down the hallway. She passed many room before a spark in one of them caught her eye, and she froze. Turning slowly, she made her way into the room. It was a small nursery, and the thought of children growing up here made her heart ache. She began to think the worst, that the family had been driven out by an illness or a storm.

She had no clue how wrong she really was.

She ran her fingers over the old toys, noting how carefully crafted they were. With a bitter-sweet smile, Blake tilted her head to the side and took a small thing from her pocket, a tiny toy soldier. It was a good luck charm from one of her old friends in America, Leon. Her fingers danced over its face softly before she placed it down on a nightstand beside the crib, backing away.

Leaving the nursery, Blake felt a gust of wind hit her back and yelped. She whipped around in time to see a large shadow receeding into the darknes. Terrified, she quickly turned and sprinted down the hallways towards the exit, careful not to break anything.

Blake was running down a staircase, her heart racing, when she tripped over her own foot and toppled down the rest of the flight. She landed on her back, gasping softly as she held her side, sitting up with a strangled groan. She didn't notice the pale hand that reached to aid her as she staggered to her feet and limped out the door, not bothering to close it. 

She didn't take another easy breath until she was safe in her car, the door locked and her seatbelt painfully slung across her chest. Clutching the wheel, she started the car and sped off. A she stole a glance in her rearview mirror, she thought she saw a figure in one of the windows. She didn't believe in ghosts.

She didn't believe in ghosts.


	4. Staying The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio stay the night in the castle to watch the vase. Vlad finds them and is not happy.

This back-and-forth game continued for several weeks, and Blake didn't always have time to return the stupid vase right away. She had college and work, two things she took very seriously. During this time she and Veda had gotten a bit closer, the girl opting to assist her with homework and essays when she needed it. To Veda, Dio was still the annoying bloke he always had been, but she began to find it more endearing than anything.

Blake stared at the vase with tired eyes, angry and frustrated. She didn't understand how it kept getting back in the aparment without anyone noticing, and it was driving her mad. Whatever the reason, she was sick of it. She snatched the vase up with a huff, stomping to her storage room where she shut it away from sight.

Veda watched from the living room, her chin resting on her hand silently. She watched Blake approach with a vicious look on her face, plopping down right beside her on the sofa. The laptop in front of her emitted a soft music that was meant to help them focus on work, but their late history essay seemed to be the last thing on their minds now. After several silent moments, Dio spoke up.

"Why don't we just stay the night to watch it?" His head was tilted to the side as Veda squinted her eyes as him begrudginly. A night away from home was unthinkable given her strict parents, but if it was for an 'essay'...

Blake shrugged, licking her lips slowly before taking a sip of her warm coffee. She was tired, and there were bags under her eyes now from the countless nights she had spent awake. What was one more if it was in a glorious castle like that?

"I'm down." Blake sighed softly as she stood and stretched, awful popping sounds coming from her back as she did so. It was always such a satisfying sound to hear, at least for Blake. She was silent as she walked back into the storage room, grabbing thr vase and scowling at it.

"'I'm down'?" Veda asked, her eyebrow cocked.

"It means yes." Dio snickered softly, as he moved into the kitchen, putting his cup in the sink.

"Yeah, I'm not stupid." Veda spat. "But do Americans really say that? I thought that was just a thing they did in the movies." She closed the laptop.

"Obviously we really say it, as you can see by the fact that Blake said it." Dio jibed, grinning as Veda scrunched her nose at him. "Seriously, though. I can't believe we're about to have a sleep over in a castle!"

"There will be no sleeping!" called Blake from the other room. She rummaged around for her car keys, having forgotten where she'd put them. When she exited the room she jingled the keys between her fingers and stuck her tongue out playfully. "No sleeping, only watching."

Dio whined softly in defiance as they opened the door to leave, pacing down the stairs. Once in the car, Blake turned to Veda and grasped her hand softly, catching her attention. "You're the most responsible out of us."

Veda's face flushed, blinking in surprise. Surley she didn't mean that, and certainly not as a compliment. Blake shook her head and continued quickly after.

"I need you to help us stay awake. I'm not letting this little shit get away." 

"Watch your mouth." Veda chuckled as she pulled her seatbelt across her chest, clicking it into place. The car ride to the castle was silent, most of them just tired from all of their normal duties. It was so childish, whatever kind of game they were playing.

Blake was always the determined one though, and once she starfted something she couldn't let it go until it was over. She was the toughest out of them, the one who could hold it out. They each had their own roles in the group, and it seems, she was the idiot with muscle... Not that either Veda or Dio seemed to mind.

Veda was able to see through her exterior though. She knew the hurt that was pent up in Blake's chest, probably all family related. The girl struggled so hard to be a good person, worthy of admiration. Someday, maybe she'd learn. You can't be happy, and perfect.

So there they were, entering the castle again for what felt like the hundreth time. The only thing that seemed to change was the smell. It smelled... well, it didn't smell. And that was weird.

"So Blake," Veda said softly as she perched on the soft bed in the room. Blake and Dio were flat on the floor, a small candle between them as night crept over the land bringing stars to the sky. They talked for hours, about family, about work, about home. "You've said so little..."

Blake's cheeks flushed quietly as she stared down at her hands, her heart weak. She had hoped they wouldn't notice, that if she kept them talking about their lives, they wouldn't ask about hers. Her palms began to sweat. There was nothing to say. Her mind was a wasteland of nothing more than idiotic thoughts, there was nothing inside worth sharing.

"There's not much to say. I moved from America to escape my family, changed my name, my appearance. I..." She didn't know how to express how much she hated herself. Even know she felt as it she would never be able to change it. She would never do enough to satisfy herself.

Blake bit her lip softly and looked down at the dark oak floor, feeling her ears turn hot with embarassment. Dio's fingers brushed her own as the tension thickened.

"I want to forget who I was..." Blake admitted slowly, her voice uncharacteristically soft. Her fingers brushed her lips as she watched the flame dance on the candlestick, Veda waiting for her to finish. "I wanted to-... to start over, and be happy... I-I know it sounds like I ran away from my problems but, I didn't know what else to do. I was lost."

Blake nibbled her donut quietly for several moments after before a hand on her back made her jump, looking up at Veda. Her eyes were full of sympathy. Blake felt her heart ache when Veda spoke. "Well then, it's a good thing we found you..."

Several hours later, the trio snored softly in the old bedroom, Dio and Blake leaned against one another while Veda was alone on the bed. The candle was out and then the only light came from a lantern that was edging closer to them through the darkness. The light revealed the face of a man with soft eyes, staring down at the three young adults, unsure of how to react.

Taking a deep breath, Vlad slowly entered the room, his hand falling on the knob behind him as he slammed the door shut. Waking up with a jolt, the three humans stared up at him with wide eyes, scrambling bakcwards in an attempt to put distance between them, Dio weilding a pillow like a sheild.

"What, if I may ask, are you doing in my castle?"


End file.
